DETECTIVES are interviewing a Widnes man who was stabbed in the stomach by armed raiders wearing masks from the horror movie scream.

Detective Inspector Dougie Shaw told the Weekly News that the victim has made a 'marginal improvement' in the days since the attack and was now well enough to help officers with their enquiries.

The 27-year-old man was last week fighting for life in hospital and after being severely injured during a scuffle involving two of three offenders.

The victim's 49-year-old mother answered the door at about 7.40pm on Saturday, October 20, to find three men in hallowe'en masks stood outside.

They demanded to know the whereabouts of her son before one of them held the woman down on the floor while the other pair made their way upstairs and found the man they were looking for.

Concern in the community about the shocking nature of the attack led police to reassure residents the incident was targeted specifically at the victim and was not a random burglary.

Mr Shaw said: 'His condition has improved marginally but he is still very poorly. He has now been moved to the high dependency unit. We have had the first opportunity to interview him. There is nothing more we can say at this stage.'